


The Crossing

by solarscarlet



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Purgatory, Car Accidents, Character Death, F/M, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Major Character Injury, Murder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Soul-Searching, Suicide Attempt, Trains, Trauma, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 06:34:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26847490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarscarlet/pseuds/solarscarlet
Summary: When Keith abruptly chooses to end his life he finds himself instead invited onto a mystical train traveling through Purgatory. With a handsome and mysterious conductor named Shiro and numerous passengers making their way through, Keith must make the ultimate choice to either go back to the world of the living or keep riding to the end of the line.
Relationships: Acxa & Lotor (Voltron), Allura/Lance (Voltron), Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Kudos: 12





	The Crossing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PeachTiger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeachTiger/gifts).



> First off, please heed the tags and warnings. This fic is mainly centered around two things: Soul Searching and Sheith. When I came up with this plot it was brainstorming new rp ideas with my girlfriend who I have gifted this fic too. I wanted to make this particular adventure of sorts a fic because I felt I could create a definitive end. This fic won't be the easiest read for some so again pay close attention to the tags. I just wanted to make something with meaning that maybe for me could help me out of my own funk that I'm in. I hope you enjoy it for what it is and I appreciate the support. <3

Keith wasn't exactly sure what had driven him to this point or even this place at all. The bridge had been shut down for decades and its only purpose for existing now was for tales of ghost stories or for what he was contemplating at this very moment. He weighed the option heavily, his heart thudding as he stared down at the near black waters that slushed about. 

Maybe it was the fact he lost his job a few days prior to teetering off the edge of an old bridge. Maybe it was the fact that out of all things to lose his job over it was because of him defending a fellow co-worker from the notorious bully of their workplace, it was like childhood all over again, fighting like fools on a playground and whoever acts innocent enough gets the passing grade, unfortunately he failed. Or maybe it was because of losing his job he equally feared what his family may think of him, his mother and uncles so incredibly successful he became so pale in comparison to any of them that it was like he blended into the walls. Or maybe it was the fact that he knew now it would be hard to find a job and that money would be getting even tighter, for the love of everything his rent just jumped up and he needed car repairs done. Everything felt as if it was against him at this point. 

It felt almost suffocating, the loneliness and fear of his childhood now rolling into his adult one… he was 28 for christ sakes and he had nothing to show but this pathetic excuse of a life. He went through his stages since getting handed the box of shame to collect his things and being escorted out by a lower level manager to ensure he didn't do anything stupid. He went about kicking his car for a solid half hour until his foot was numb. He got drunk that night too and woke up with a massive hangover the following day. And now… now he was here at the lowest point in his life, debating and heavily weighing on the darkest intentions. 

He immediately thought of his mother, she had already had to bury her husband nearly 20 years earlier and now… possibly her son if he chose to let himself go. But as he thought on that he thought of nothing but the grief he gave her after it all, cursing her and blaming her for the death of his father, he carried that regret even now, knowing that for her as a single mother he never made it easy for her, from the fights at school to the terrible grades. He was smart, he knew that, but he didn't put in the effort when he needed. He never gave her what she deserved, he only provided obstacles for her, nights of screaming and crying and slamming doors, damning her for things that he knew he shouldn't, but did anyway… 

His shoulders ached from all the grief he had carried for all this time, his heart shriveled up and his mind numb from the constant rotation of wrongs he had done in his life. He felt miserable, he felt foolish, he felt...tired. 

He blinked his amethyst colored hues slowly, the only light provided was some old pole lamp starting at the beginning of the bridge, it flickered every so often, leaving Keith in the dark of night before it eventually kicked back on and showed him those dark water depths below again. He wasn't sure how deep those waters went but with luck he hoped maybe it was shallow and he could crash hard enough against jagged rocks to make things easy… painless...quick. 

The air was cold, as he breathed out he could see the puff of frozen mist go up into the air, leaving his body… just like what he wanted to do now. 

Here came the second guessing though. If he did this… he could be hurting his family more than intended. He already felt like enough of an inconvenience but this could really put him up there and that was the last thing he wanted. The next thought that weighed on him was if his situation really was that bad to even lead him here? It must be… one step forward and he'd be falling. 

Was he ready to make that step? Was he really done with trying anymore? Surely he was… he tried to do good but it came back and spat in his face. 

Maybe this was it…

He breathed in a heavy breath, his bones rattling under his cold skin, finger tips trembling as he balled his hands into fist. 

He was tired...so tired of doing so much wrong with his life…

He was certain now that he couldn't make a comeback. 

His foot twitched before he then shifted his body, moving a leg forward into the air, intentionally throwing off his balance and falling forward. 

…  
…..  
……

He didn't remember much after that. He remembered the free fall feeling, the feeling of butterflies bursting in his stomach as he looked to the street light flickering in the distance. He recalled the sting of the cold black water, striking his body, sending him into shock…. And then nothing. 

Everything was dark until he realized he was simply laying on his back.

His body twitched, eyes blinking open only to find himself staring up at the top frames of the bridge, his body lying on concrete. 

He blinked several times, brows furrowing. Did he...not jump just now? He could have sworn he had… it had felt so real and yet now, suddenly laying on his bare back,back on the bridge he was positive he just leapt off of...he felt nothing,not even the cold of the night air nipping at his skin. 

Was this a dream? He remained laying in puzzlement only to feel the ground rumble beneath him, bits of stone tumbling around on the ground and forcing him to sit up out of shock. An earthquake maybe? No… that would be a true rarity in these parts. 

The noise that followed was even stranger, a loud, distanced whistle coming from the beginning of the bridge. Keith squinted into the dark of the night, past the single light. At first he saw nothing… but then something glistened before a brighter light beamed down the path, the foreign whistle blaring yet again as the ground continued to shake under his palms. 

His eyes widened as the light seemed to be speeding towards him and the bridge. He felt frozen, unable to move as it drew closer and closer only for him to finally make it out. 

It was a train…

But he had never heard of a train running out in these parts or even across this bridge and yet here it was. He was miffed, not even recalling any rails on the structure as he glances to the path in front of him to find nothing…. 

So how in the hell was this train even operating?! 

His eyes darted back up at the sound of screeching metal, the train being forced to come to a slow until it creaked and was now standstill. 

Keith stared at the massive transport, taking in the somewhat odd air it gave. It appeared almost more like a trolly with several cars, the metal black as midnight with touches of purple that seemed to glow, a warm light flooded from the many windows but he couldn't make out what lied beyond them. It felt mystical, unearthly even… maybe he was dreaming. 

One of the passenger doors opened on that thought, catching Keith's attention as he snapped his eyes to it. He was still a fool sitting with his ass on the concrete and so the first thing he noticed was finely polished black shoes. He trailed his gaze upwards, a pair of legs in black trousers and sporting a black suit jacket and vest over a white collared shirt, all of it seeming to hug onto a rather muscular frame, he equally noted the gold chain dangling slightly and disappearing into a pocket before he finally met eye to eye with the stranger who stepped off the vehicle. 

His first thought was that the other was beautiful. A strong jawline, pale skin, soft grey hues with a touch of brown to them, his eyelashes dark in contrast to the white hair that peeked out from under his hat… and a scar that bridged across his nose. He gave off an almost as odd feeling as the train itself. 

For once Keith was at a loss for words, still trying to sort out his situation. Was he dreaming all this? Part of him surely hoped he was. 

The stranger seemed to give a knowing smile before making his way over, strong legs taking long strides to reach him as he still remained on the ground like an idiot. 

"You still seem to be in a state of shock." The stranger's voice was gentle as he tilted his head and then offered a white gloved hand to Keith. 

Keith showed hesitation for a moment before taking the other's offered hand and allowing himself to be pulled up with ease. He was still rather speechless though as he glanced back to the train and then back to the uniformed man before him. 

"I can assure you… this is real." He spoke again, voice even softer. "The act of taking your own life can sometimes make this all seem surreal but I assure you this isn't a dream." 

Keith froze at that, fully allowing himself to make eye contact with the other again. "Taking…. My own life?" His voice cracked slightly. 

"Yes. You jumped from this bridge about 2 and a half minutes ago. I'm sorry I was late on arrival." He gave an apologetic smile. 

Keith wasn't sure how exactly to process the information being relayed to him. He continued to stare in subtle shock before he turned heel and ran to the edge of the bridge and grasped at the railing, looking over the edge and down to the dark waters. He couldn't see anything.

"Keith." 

He stiffened slightly and slowly glanced back over his shoulder to the stranger, giving him a full glance over once more. "Who….who are you?" He finally dared to ask more of the other. 

He received a sympathetic look in return as the stranger moved to approach him again, relieving himself of his hat as he then came to a stop a mere few feet away. 

"My name is Shiro. I'm one of the conductors of Purgatory. You leapt off this bridge into the water and suffered heavy bodily trauma which resulted in your spirit being here to truly weigh your thoughts and beliefs before making your ultimate final decision." Shiro explained thoughtfully, his eyes still soft as he watched Keith closely. 

"Am….Am I dead?" Keith choked out. 

"No. But you're on the verge… and that's why you're here… well rather...everyone does come here but you're one of the passengers who get the choice." Shiro glanced up in thought before looking back to Keith yet again.

"Choice?" 

"Yes… the choice of whether you want to return back to the living… or to continue on to the afterlife. As a conductor, it's my job… to take you onboard and allow you the time to weigh your options before I return you here or take you to the end of the line." He gestured to the train behind them and gave a small smile. 

"So wait… lemme get this straight." Keith held up a hand to pause the other's explanation any further. Shiro tilted his head slightly at that. "So you're saying…. That I'm between life and death right now?" 

"Purgatory, yes," Shiro responded easily. 

"And that you're some… magical train conductor that is gonna take me either back to my life or to my actual death?" 

"Well…. I would simply take you onboard but you ultimately get the call of where you get off… Keith this is your journey, your penultimate choice, I'm not here to force you to pick either end but I am here to give you the time to think and to then request your destination. I'm your conductor through Purgatory, as simple as that." He was smiling again but now Keith could see the slightest bit of something else hidden in the conductor's eyes… he just couldn't make it out. 

"...So I have to get on?" Keith nodded to the train. 

"Yes. Everyone does." 

"...And I'm not dead." Keith murmured. 

"No. Only on the verge." 

"And this isn't a dream?" He quirked a brow. 

"Despite all the films out there… no. This isn't a dream Keith." 

"And I assume you know my name ‘cause of some crazy paranormal world stuff?" He squinted his eyes at the other. 

"You could say it that way… as your conductor I'm given all the information I need to best suit your journey and decision making." 

Keith folded his arms over his chest. "This sounds like a game show." 

"I can assure you it's not. I'm not here to tell you whether your choice to jump is right or wrong, that's why you're here… to weigh those thoughts on your own." Shiro shifted to step aside and gesture to the train. "So if you could please board… I can go over further Purgatory explanations as we travel to pick up the next passenger." 

Keith continued to eye him, rooted in place for a moment longer as he studied Shiro hard. He then carried himself forward and carefully climbed the three stairs to get on board, noting he was currently at the front of the transport as he looked to where he knew the odd conductor sat… it all looked normal from what little train and trolly knowledge he had. He then glanced to the other side of him, noting how suddenly the train car itself looked massive, all seats were turned to face the large aisle where a few tables sat in front of certain benches. Keith eyed the space and then the door on the far end...leading to other cars, he couldn't see through the glass to the other side but wondered how many people were also here, supposedly taking this journey. 

"It's actually just you for right now." Shiro stepped up behind him. "Please sit wherever you'd like and I'll get us up and moving again." He stepped past him and moved to his driving quarters, reviewing the equipment. 

Keith stepped further into the space, the polished wood floor of the car creaking beneath him as he glanced up to the warm yellow lights that provided a rather calming ambiance. The seats were covered with a black cloth like material with dark wood beneath, some sporting drawers as if for storage but… he had nothing on him. It was a weird thing to do, getting on a train with nothing to call your own but the clothes on your back. He glanced back at Shiro before continuing on his way, taking a seat on one of the sections that did not sport a table in front of it. He stayed in silence, trying not to think too hard, part of him still utterly convinced he was dreaming every inch of this as odd as it was, though the dream of the giant lion robots still took the cake. 

After several moments he felt the train shift and creak to life again, slowly shifting its wheels to pull forward. Keith turned his head immediately to the windows, looking out as they began to pull off and away from the bridge he had supposedly leapt off of. He watched as the single street light flickered again, the train picking up further speed and pulling away faster. He blinked slowly before shifting his gaze, missing the flashing of blue and red lights in the distance. 

His eyes fell back on the conductor who adjusted controls before nodding to himself and then leaving the space to approach him again.

Keith furrowed his brows. "Don't you need to stick up there?" He asked as the conductor sat across the way in another seat, facing him with his back straight and gloved hands clasped in his lap. 

"No. Once I do the adjustments the train takes care of the rest and escorts me to the next pick up." Shiro smiled softly. 

"How many are already on board?" Keith folded his arms and sat back in his seat some but his body stayed tense. 

"Just you… I'm not the only conductor in Purgatory, there's many of us all making our way around. We may run into some on our travels." 

"....But we will see other people like me?" 

"Humans? In between life and death? Yes… you will, the amount depends on how long you stay."

"Mm… so I could go back to my life?" 

"If you choose too, yes." Shiro nodded. 

"And if I don't want to…?" 

"Then you don't have to, and I will simply take you to the end of the line." 

"Which is Hell?" 

Shiro suddenly chuckled. "No… No not Hell… the afterlife silly… and potentially beyond." 

"Reincarnation?" 

"That's another choice later on after this current one." 

"Alright…" 

"But I highly suggest you take time to reflect on your life in the living, weigh yourself and your emotions and expectations." Shiro's smile seemed to press into a thin line as he stared at the other.

Keith grew further tense at the sudden change in his tone, the conductor seeming to stare straight through him, into places perhaps he wasn't even familiar with. He swallowed and nodded. "Okay…" 

The smile was suddenly back. "Good. So… some things to note. While here you will meet other passengers. You can choose to interact with them or not but all I ask is that you respect it if they decline to interact with you in return. Should any altercations occur between you or another passenger please know that first off… any supposed pain inflicted will not be felt on a physical sense. The only pain that is able to be felt here is mental and emotional, nothing more. Physical affiliation also implies to any need for hunger or thirst as well as other bodily functions. If you suffer from illness in the physical world you will not suffer from it here. You will maintain your usual senses here. sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing… but it will be limited as it is not actually necessary but still available to you if you put the thought into it." The conductor tilted his head ever so slightly, still smiling at his passenger like he was some great company to have. 

Keith remained uncertain as he listened, watching and listening to how easily the other recited the supposed functionality of this world he was in. So if he understood correctly, he was technically still alive in the real world, he had jumped with an intention of pure suidice but only damaged his body just enough to put him in a plane of existence that lingered between his breathing, battered body and the supposed great beyond. Now he had things to weigh further on, the idea of more time to debate throwing his life away was both a blessing and a curse. He could feel his emotions slowly creeping back up on him… he had a lot of thinking to do now. 

"Keith--" 

He quickly lifted his amethyst eyes to the other. "Yeah?" 

"Do you have any questions for me right now?" Shiro's gaze seemed soft again, almost sad as he looked at him. 

"Mm… not right now." Keith murmured, glancing away only to notice the flickering of lights beyond the window. 

"Very well then." Shiro offered a gentle smile as he rose to his feet. It was then that Keith felt the train begin to slow again, it's whistle blowing. "Perfect timing… our next passengers are about to board." 

Keith arched his brow before shifting in his seat and glancing out the window. They were now on a two-lane road, a few cars driving by every few moments but not even seeming to acknowledge the train parked on asphalt with no rails. He peered past that, into the thicket of bushes not far from the road and squinted, noting the patch of foliage missing, tire tracks leading down into a ditch… he could just barely make out the brake lights of a vehicle. 

A car crash… 

His stomach churned at the thought before he quickly turned back around in his seat. 

Maybe this was real. 

Maybe he was on one last journey to sort himself out… regardless, he suddenly felt scared to be near someone else's near-death experience, and in feeling that he felt his stomach lurch as he thought back on his own. 

The train whistle blew again, echoing into the night for only those in Purgatory to hear… and Keith felt it shake him to his core.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't guarantee when updates will happen, I have this fic planned out for the most part but working out the chapters can be a bear sometimes. Feel free to visit me over on my twitter @solar_scarlet and comments and kudos are greatly appreciated as always. Stay safe and be well <3


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